A True Family
by klcm
Summary: Garcia loses the plot and takes drastic measures to fit in with a family only to discover that her true family were where they'd always been
1. Losing It

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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'You dare walk out of this room and you've proven me right.'

'Proven you right? My friends have just got back from one of the hardest cases ever Kevin and all you're worried about is being left alone for a couple of hours.'

'But it's not them, it's him.'

'The same old chestnut with you isn't it?' She said remaining calm. 'Why do you think that because I want to see them I'm forgetting you?'

'Because I've just asked you to marry me and you've just stood and stared at me... that's answer enough.' Kevin responded angrily. 'It's always them over me!' She just stood and stared at him. 'You always choose him over me! I'm your boyfriend, the one that loves you and yet you don't want to be with me.'

'You know what Kevin? You're right... they are always going to come first.' She said as she picked up her purse, her keys and her phone and headed for the door. 'So in response to your earlier question... no I don't want to marry you Kevin.' She said and let the ring roll out of her hand.

'You leave this apartment and I will never take you back.'

'Then don't.' She said as she continued down the corridor, she carried on and out to her car, tears falling as she realised she had ruined her future with Kevin, happy tears that she felt such a release. She had kept this thing hidden for too long; it was time to tell Derek once and for all. She did the usual journey and made it to his. She walked to his door and knocked but immediately hesitated, she wiped her eyes, nearly a year long bout in a relationship had ended and she hadn't realised she was crying at first, she then heard talking and laughing. The door opened and Derek's face dropped.

'Penelope... everything okay?' He asked blocking the view into his apartment; he saw her emotions all too well at that moment and he knew something was wrong.

'Who is it baby?' A female voice yelled out evidently from the bedroom.

'It's just a friend, I'll be right back.' He turned back. 'You okay baby girl, you look like you've been crying.'

'Erm.. uh... I'm fine. I shouldn't have come.' She said completely heartbroken. 'Uh, I'll let you get back to... I got to go.'

'Penelope!' He called after her but she continued to walk on. 'Shit.' Derek said as he chucked clothes on and then ran out after her, he saw her wipe her face and then just drive off, without looking back at him.

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**Monday Morning- B.A.U**

'New week begins new case.' JJ said as she carried files into the conference room. 'Oh the joys of the job.'

'JJ have you called TA York?' Hotch asked from his office.

'I have he'll be up in a moment.'

'TA York?' Reid, Emily and Derek said shocked. 'Where's Garcia?'

'She's on an unknown length of absent.'

'Why?'

'In the conference room.' Hotch said and they all literally ran in, he closed the door and looked at them. 'Garcia rang me Friday night; she's been struggling for some time with the job, with certain relationships. She is nearing a breakdown and needed the break.'

'Friday?' Derek repeated. 'Friday night?'

'Yes, why?'

'She came to me, near tears, I had Ashleigh with me.'

'Ashleigh, as in the Ashleigh you picked up 5 weeks ago?' Derek nodded at Reid. 'Hm.'

'What?'

'Nothing.'

'No what is it?'

'Did Penelope know you were that involved?' Derek shook his head, he could never find the right moment to tell Penelope and he knew that it was deceitful for more than one reason.

'Kevin was going to propose to Pen Friday... find him, you find her, you're bound to.'

'Hotch do you know where she is?'

'No she said she needed to get away.' He looked around and saw the defeated team members. 'Did any of you have any idea that things had gotten so bad with her?'

'No, we've hardly seen her.'

'Yeah cases have been havoc and we haven't had time to talk on the phone.'

'Hmm... I think we need to get Lynch here, JJ pass this case onto team B, we need to sort this out.' Hotch said leaving the room with JJ, 15 minutes later Lynch traipsed into the room.

'You asked for me Agent Hotchner?'

'Kevin come in and shut the door.' He complied and looked at one of them confused. 'When did you last see Penelope?'

'Friday night...'

'What happened?'

'I asked her to marry me, she didn't say anything, we got into an argument, she left telling me she didn't want to marry me.'

'What was your argument about?'

'Sir that's personal.'

'But important.'

'She was off to see Derek; she was worried about him, about the whole team but mostly about him.'

'So you argued over it?

'I've hardly seen her lately, when we have alone time it is always spent on you guys...why does this matter?'

'Because Penelope's gone on leave.'

'Is she okay?'

'That's what we are trying to find out.'

'I need to get back to work, but I always knew I'd lose her, she was never mine, Derek I hope you appreciate how much she loves you.' He said and left the room, Derek sat completely shocked, just staring, everyone looked at him.

'Didn't you know?' Emily asked, Derek shook his head. 'The amount of silly banter you pass, the amount of looks you exchange, the way you watch one another, she loves you.'

'What have I done?'

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**_A/N:_** Seeing as the other one is complete and just waiting on being posted, I'd thought I'd post this one =)

Enjoy! And let me know!! =)


	2. Time Lapse

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

_**A/N:**_ Okay so this isn't going to go the way you want it to go... eek... lol but you'll see... do I usually let down on the MG front?? =)

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**3 weeks later**

The team trudged through yet other pile load of files, no one had heard from Penelope and worries were gaining of her whereabouts, Derek had allowed himself to get swallowed up and in the days after Penelope leaving found he couldn't continue a relationship when he knew he was in love with another woman, a woman that he would get back whether it took him a lifetime.

Emily, Reid and Derek all sat in silent shock as they watched their blonde tech enter the bullpen in track suit bottoms and a baggy hoodie on, she ignored them, her head down and as she walked to Hotch's office they noticed she was tying to hiding a limp. She didn't talk she just went to the office door, knocked and entered.

'Penelope...' Hotch gasped.

'I need to resign... effective immediately.'

'Penelope, what? Why?' He asked as he stood up and walked towards her. 'Look at me.' She looked up at him and he saw the harsh purple bruising down the left side of her face. 'Penelope... talk to me.' He said worriedly.

'It's nothing.'

'Penelope it's something, you're limping, you're hugging yourself protectively and you have masses of bruises... talk.'

'It's nothing!' She shouted back but sucked in a sharp breath. 'I just need to resign... effective immediately.' She repeated the sentence that she had said earlier.

'Where will you go?'

'I don't know.'

'Penelope... let us help you.'

'You can't.'

'Try us.'

'Please... just give me a resignation and I'll be gone.'

'So you're just going to leave? No details to the others, no explanation.'

'There isn't much to explain.'

'Well explain to me... everything.'

She looked at the clock, her eyes gaining panic. 'Please, I don't have time for this.'

Hotch noticed this and walked towards her. 'What's happened to you?'

'Nothing.'

'Penelope you're jumpy, you're hurt, and you're withdrawn, something happened to you.'

'It doesn't matter!'

'It does!'

'No! It! Doesn't!' She went for the door and Hotch smack it with his hand to stop her leaving. 'I can't stay here anymore.'

'And why not?'

'The jobs too much.' He saw it was a blatant lie as he stood profiling her. 'We've all lost contact; everyone's got lives outside of this.'

'What... and you aren't a part of that?'

'I blew my part in your lives... so please just give me a resignation.'

'I am not resigning you... I'll put you on unknown leave.'

'No! Don't!'

'Penelope Garcia!' He shouted and everyone in the bull pen looked. 'What are you hiding?'

'Nothing.'

'Lies... you never lie, now tell me.'

'Fine! Don't give me a resignation, I'll send a letter to the director.'

'He won't give it to you; you know you don't want to do this.' Hotch said and the look on Penelope's face told me him he was exactly right, she didn't want to quit. 'Again, what the hell happened to you?'

'I fell.'

'Lie!'

'Stop it okay! I'm not your worry... I'm no one's worry.' She said and left the office, before going back through the bull pen and leaving. Derek wasted no time; he jumped up and followed her.

'Baby girl.'

'Leave me alone Derek.' She said painfully, the stress wrecking havoc on her already tender sides.

He felt a dagger to the heart but was persistent. 'No.'

'Derek.' She said turning and he noticed the severity of the bruising. 'You moved on with your life, so did I.'

'But I haven't and nor have you.' He put his hand up to look at the bruising but felt her jump so took his hand down.

'Oh so the girl at your apartment that night wasn't us moving on, moving apart.'

'I should've told you.'

'We don't have the closeness we used to, it wasn't warranted.'

'Pen, what's happened to you?' He asked due to her coldness and detachment to what they had.

'Like I told Hotch, it's none of your worry... no one has to worry about me.'

'But I do... baby why did you say no to Lynch?' She looked at him wide eyed. 'You can tell me.'

'Because I don't love him... I've been trying to force myself to love second best.'

'So who's first?' She looked down. 'Penelope ...'

'You are okay... there I told you, you can have your laugh now but I really need to go.'

'Penelope don't.' He said, hoping this was the moment he could tell her all.

'No, it's safer if I go.' He stood and watched her walk to the elevator and then leave; he rushed back into the bull pen and straight to Hotch.

'We need to get her back.'

'I'm on it already.'

'What are you doing?'

'I got a tech getting onto her medical report from the last 3 weeks, something happened to her and she isn't letting anyone in.'

'She has defensive wounds on her hands and wrist.'

Hotch nodded, he had noticed them to. 'What did you say to her?'

'I asked her why she was going... what had happened to her... and she told me she loves me.'

'Well its the truth.'

'You knew?'

'In some sense, not the sense that she told me but we've always known that you two love one another.' He looked at Derek. 'Get everyone into the conference room; we need to see if she's said anything to any of us.'

Hotch followed Derek when the report was handed to him and he read through and then shut the door when he made it to the room. 'So did you all see Garcia?' They all nodded. 'According to the report Garcia was taken to the hospital after falling down the stairs, yet she had defensive wounds all up her arms.'

'Who took her to the hospital?'

'An Andy Garcia.... relation, brother, stayed overnight with her.'

'So she's been in California?'

'Appears to be.'

'So she must be going back there.'

'Hmm maybe....' Hotch said reading the list of injuries she sustained. 'From this, this isn't falling down the stairs.'

'What is there?'

'Facial contusions, fist like bruises on her back, blows to her sides caused mass bruising to her ribs, her hip bones bruised with a slight fracture to it, hence the limp and she just had impact cuts on her.'

'So it sounds like abuse.' Derek said seething at hearing the amount of injuries rallied out, he couldn't believe she had left and now was subject to such cruelty.

'Who would abuse her though?'

Hotch went to answer as JJ's phone rang out in her pocket. She spoke and they knew it was a case. 'Case in New Jersey.'

'Morgan is your go bag here?' He nodded. 'Okay head to Garcia's but be at the airstrip in 2 hours. We can brief on the plane.' The team then dispersed, Derek giving his bag to Reid ready for the flight to New Jersey, their thoughts all consumed with Penelope and what had happened to her in the 3 weeks they had been parted.


	3. Findings And Ultimate Regrets

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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It had been 9 days since they had had time to look for Penelope, Strauss had declined personal leave to allow them to search for her, she wasn't family after all so their relationship was perceived as strictly professional, even if to them it stemmed were out of that category. Derek had got to her apartment and found it empty, Penelope was lost and they didn't know what she was lost in.

Hotch walked in and into his office, he saw a letter and opened it. He read and threaded his eyebrows together in worry.

_**Sir,**_

_**I'm okay... I guess as okay as I can be. I'm not close anymore. I won't be; thank you for everything you have done for me, I love you and the team; you are my true family and have been since day one. I can't contact you but I pray to be in contact soon.**_

_**I know you told me to tell Derek that I love him and I did but I'm scared it fell on deaf eyes, I will always love him but for now he'll have to move on, I saw the look in his eyes when I finally told him, something flickered. I don't want to know if that's a bad thing that I saw.**_

_**I will get in contact, that's a promise but for now it's safer for me to not.**_

_**Penelope**_

'What have you got into Penelope?' He whispered and left his office a little miffed. 'Guys conference room now.' They looked at him shocked. 'I have a letter off Penelope.' Everyone rushed and stood and watched him, Hotch said nothing but read the letter, when he finished he looked at them. 'Something doesn't add up and I'm pretty sure there are clues in here.'

'Clues?'

'Well... 'I guess', she would know if she was okay she wouldn't guess.... 'I'm not close'... 'you are my true family'... my guess is she is with her brothers in California.... 'I can't contact'... 'it safer for me to not'...' He was cut off his line of thought as his cell rang. 'Hotchner?' He listened, simple gestures of understanding and agreement were passed before he said the conference room phone number and then shut his phone. 'Right take a seat.'

'Who was it?'

'One of Penelope's brothers... he's going to call back.'

'What did he say?'

'Not much...' The phone in the middle of the table rang and he put it on speaker phone. 'Joel?'

'Agent Hotchner... Penelope mentioned you once or twice; I didn't know whether to get to you or a Derek Morgan, so I went with you her boss.' He said rushed.

'It's fine Derek's here... what's wrong?'

'It's Penelope... neither her or our brother Andy will listen.'

'Listen?'

'She won't leave, and he won't leave her alone... I'm sorry, I don't know what to do... we were brought up by a disciplined father, Andy is repaying back for the years that Penelope left.'

'Repaying?'

'She's living with him, not by choice, more by force... it's to rid of her sins, to re-establish her into the family... plus he saw her with Derek, and because of him being black she has to pay her dues for that. She argued that she wouldn't stop seeing him, that she loved him too much to push him to the side, so she had to take what Andy gives.'

'What's he done to her?'

'She got out of hospital 2 days ago due to burns to her arm from boiling water, she has some broken ribs, the list is endless... please, the police department won't believe me, Andy is the lead detective there, his reputation out rides any claim I file... you're our last hope to get Penelope out of there.'

'Well we are leaving now.'

'Thank you... I'm so sorry to drag you into this.'

'It's fine, we love her.' Hotch said and looked up as everyone. 'I'll call when we are leaving.'

'Thank you... thank you so much.' Hotch put the phone down and put his hands on the table and breathed in to calm his nerves.

'I'm going to talk to Strauss.' Was all Rossi said and left the room hastily and determined.

'Hotch...'

'I know, we are getting her out of that and home, here.' Derek remained silent, his vision blurring from tears that he would refuse to allow to fall. No more than 10 minutes later they were leaving the bureau with their go bags ready to restock, Hotch had the printed medical report of Garcia's, directions from her brother and a game plan. With 4 weeks under their belt they were determined to get their friend back.

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While the team left, in California Penelope was living out her worst nightmare again. She saw her brother coming towards her, he whipped his belt off and folded it in half, she whimpered as she pulled her top off and faced the wall, Andy raised his arm and then slapped the thick leather down tearing more of her skin to shreds. He continued 5 more times before leaving her to fall to the ground and shake with pain, her back bleeding from new and old wounds; she knew it was only going to get worse before she was set as their sister again and gather her life back in California. She was now starting to wonder if this was worth it, but then she guessed she blew her part in her life in Quantico, after all why would they want her back when she turned her back and declined help when she really needed it?


	4. Stepping In

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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When the team finally landed it had been a good 7 hours, problems at the airstrip meant delaying their take off time. Hotch immediately pulled his phone from his pocket and dialled Joel's number.

'Have you landed?'

'We have... anything else happened?'

'I'm trying to get in now, the neighbours heard screaming.'

Hotch closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Okay, well we are just getting into the rentals now and we'll be there, we will have her out tonight.'

'Thank you.' Joel said and a crash could be heard. 'Andy! Let me in!'

'Joel! What's happening?' Hotch said allowing Rossi to drive, he got in the passenger seat, Derek behind him, the other 3 in the other SUV, he knew Derek, and the drive to protect Penelope would be a risk so Derek had to be patient. Hotch put the phone on speaker the other two needed to know what they were up against.

'He's just dragged her downstairs, I can see through but he's locked the door.'

'Right Joel, like you said the airstrip is like 20 minutes to there, we are almost there.'

'Okay, I'm going to try and get in.' He said and the line went dead, Hotch looked at Rossi, his grip tightened on the wheel, he looked at Derek or looked slightly disconnected from the realms of reality. When they arrived they saw the door of the given address open and a blonde haired man standing in the door way, his shoulders squared, his hands gesturing angrily. When they got out they walked up to the house.

'Penelope please.' They heard him plead.

'Joel! Leave this house now!' Came another man's angry voice.

'How about you let Penelope answer that question.' He looked behind him as he heard the cars, and left the house. 'Hotchner?'

'Call me Hotch; this is Rossi and Derek... what's happening?'

'He won't let me take her with me. I have an idea just stand in the door way, I'll call on you in a minute.' Hotch nodded and told Rossi to tell the others the plan, him and Derek crossed the threshold and stood where they were asked. 'Penelope, come with me please.'

'No.' Came Penelope's weakened voice on a low audible level.

'Why not?'

'I need my part in a family.'

'You have it!'

'I don't.' She said and Andy grabbed her hair and pulled her up, pressing her to continue what he had made her believe. 'I don't deserve a family until this is over...' She said and the tears ran down her face, she wanted Derek right now, to take her away from this, to forgive her, to be her friend.

'So until he kills you? Then will you be satisfied?' Joel asked and Penelope stared at him, she knew he was right.

'At least everything would stop then.'

Joel's heart broke then. 'Well if you won't let me help you, maybe these people can.' Joel said and turned to tell Hotch and Derek to come in, they knew the drill and walked in and into view. They both stood and looked at the man in front of them, obviously a step brother, no genetics there, holding Penelope's hair tightly in his fist, her face tear streaked, the bruising illustrating beautifully what 4 weeks with her abusive brother had made her suffer.

'Now will you come with me?' Joel asked desperately as Hotch and Derek flanked him. They saw Penelope close her eyes, and bat back the tears, a gesture they knew as her wanting to scream yes.

'Baby girl.' Derek broke the silence. 'Come on... you don't need Andy...' She looked at him, the tone of voice was caring, was loving, was warm. 'Come with me, please.' He said slightly heartbroken. He looked at Hotch who nodded his confirmation. 'Remember I told you I love you?'

'Yeah.' She said with a tiny voice, he had over a year ago, and she then felt her heart drop as Reid, JJ and Emily all streamed in.

'Well silly girl, I love you... I'm sorry it took this and more for me to realise it but please come home to me.' He watched her nod in the grasp, but Andy wouldn't let go.

'You don't get to take her.' Andy said and pulled her up, making Penelope scream with pain. 'She is going nowhere with you.' He said dragging her towards the kitchen, all the time Penelope screamed and tried her hardest to get out of his grip.

'Please Andy.' Penelope said finding her voice at last. 'I don't want to be a part of this family.' She finally said the words she had been whispering in her head for the past few weeks.

'Yes you do... that's why you came back.' He saw her face and knew it was lie; she really didn't want to be a part of that family. 'You bitch! You really think I'm going to let you go off with a black man?' Andy's attention was so consumed with Penelope he didn't see Derek charge, no one stopping him. Derek just grabbed Andy in a death lock.

'Let her go!' He near enough growled, as soon as Andy's hand let go Derek slammed him against the wall. 'Now along with your racist, abusive upbringing, were you taught how to have a heart?'

'She wants in the family, she gets it.'

'Well you need to understand one thing, I am never letting her near your family again as long as I breathe or God help me you will know a painful death.'

'You can't do that.'

'I do believe I just did.' Derek said angrier as the time went. 'Penelope may have to endure all this and more to be a part of your family but she has a place in ours and in the future with me.' He then handed the scolded looking man to the police waiting, each and everyone ignoring the threat Derek just told Andy. It was then he noticed Penelope hadn't moved. He knelt down in front of her, her face completely void of emotion now. 'Baby girl.'

'I'm so sorry.' She said as the reign of tears began.

'For what Pen?'

'I shouldn't have got with Kevin, I don't know why I did, I was stupid and I lost you all because of it, I pushed you away and its all my fault.'

'Hey silly girl, we love you.' He looked up at Hotch who nodded encouragingly. 'That's why we're here... so we can take you home, look after you.'

'I can't.'

'And why not?'

'I have nowhere to go.'

'I have the room.' She just sobbed harder in response and so Derek gathered her in his arms only to hear her gasp.

'Pen?' He asked as he immediately let her go and saw her face contorted with the works of managing pain, her breathing slightly racing.

'Can we just go home please?'

'Penelope we are taking you to the hospital first.' Hotch said as he noticed the pain management going on. He watched Derek gently handle Penelope as she stood, her breath hitching and stopping, her eyes welling with tears from the pains that were rippling her body but he couldn't help but think that they had her back now, now their family would knit together and be there, now the healing began.


	5. Listenable Distraction

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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The nurse walked down the corridor hastily, she'd never seen abuse so severe in all her years and just from the way Penelope was acting she knew she couldn't leave her to go through this on her own. She walked towards the group of people and smiled sadly.

'I'm really sorry to interrupt.'

'Is Penelope okay?' Derek jumped in and the nurse flinched at his protective growl.

'She's as good as can be right now, but I just think that maybe someone should be down with her, I mean for support.'

'Of course.' Joel agreed, and wanted to hit himself for not trying harder to be there for her. 'I think Derek should go.'

'Me?'

'You told her you loved her back there, go prove it.'

'But you're her brother.'

'Yeah and she knows I love her, seems you have some making up to do.' Joel told him and he sat down showing his decision, he then watched Derek follow the nurse.

Derek followed silently and saw Penelope coming into view, she was in a room on her own, her back was to him, and he could tell from her hunched shoulders that she was hugging a pillow for dear life; it wasn't until he entered the doorway that he saw why. A nurse was treating Penelope's back and his eyes caught the red angry markings of what look like whip marks, without another cognitive thought he headed straight round to the front of Penelope.

Immediately seeing the pain in her eyes as the tears poured freely he crouched down and smiled at her reassuringly. 'Hey baby girl.' He said and she just looked at him sadly. 'How you holding up?'

'I've done better.' She said quietly and closed her eyes with pain.

'You're doing good P.'

'How do you know? You just got here.'

'Because I know you and I know how hard headed you are.' She just smiled a little at him, and he knew she wasn't in the mood for talking. 'You okay with listening to me for a bit?'

'I guess.'

Derek smiled at her again. 'When you can, we're going to get you back to Quantico and we're going to sort this mess out, I meant what I told Andy Baby, I'm keeping you from him, keeping you safe.' He took her hand in his and squeezed it. 'I was seeing a girl before you left.' He said and Penelope began to take her hand back but Derek kept his grip on it. 'Even though I knew you were with Kevin I just couldn't tell you that I was trying to get a future.

I couldn't just tell you that because then it'd been real and the wedge between us would have gotten bigger and I was scared to lose you to it all. So I selfishly got with her and then when you turned up that night, you looked so sad and so beautiful I knew I couldn't keep it going.'

'What's her name?'

'Ashleigh.'

'Pretty name.'

'It's no Penelope eh?' Penelope smiled at him as he pushed a bit of hair back with his free hand. 'I finished with her a couple of days after you went because of something Kevin said to me when we were trying to find you, and then Emily stuck her ore in and that was it, I needed you back.'

'Kevin?'

'Yeah told me and I quote 'I always knew I'd lose her, she was never mine, Derek I hope you appreciate how much she loves you' and I was stunned. How come you said no, was it really because you loved me?'

'Too much.' Penelope said and stared at Derek's familiar features, the ones she'd missed and yearned for. All the while Derek traced the bruises and grazes to Penelope's usually perfect shaded skin. 'I wanted you so much to come and save me.'

'Well it's a good thing we did before it got worse.'

'It sure feels worse at the moment.' She said and buried her head into the pillow as she felt the nurse begin to stitch an area.

'Sorry Penelope, but we're nearly done here and we'll get you covered up and check your ribs.' The nurse said as she heard Penelope's muffled cries.

'Baby look at me.' Derek's soothing tone came. 'Come on P, look up at me.' Penelope slowly looked up and Derek felt his heart clenched as he looked into her eyes. 'Keep looking at me and do nothing but listen to me... got it?'

'Yeah.'

'Right, all the time you were gone, we haven't focused on anything, nothing about the job kept us focused, we were all worried about you, wondering where you were, how you were. After those 3 weeks when you came back and you were so hurt, we just wanted to help but you wouldn't allow it and now we know why. Was it Andy waiting for you?' Penelope nodded. 'Was that why you said it was safer if you left?'

'He told me if I didn't get resigned and out of that building in 30 minutes he'd make sure there wasn't any of me to find.' She said and the tears fell again. 'I just wanted my part in a family.'

'You've always had one princess, well and truly been a part of a family.'

'I should've had a part in that family too, he's my brother.' Penelope whispered back with so much emotion and regret. 'At the beginning I felt like I needed to go through this to get a part but there came a point that I wished I just stayed behind and asked for help. When Andy finally left me alone I just wished I'd never been born so that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to screw up.'

'Baby...'

'Can you believe it; I even prayed that Battle had killed me that night.'

'Pen, you need to listen to me now, you made a mistake but you got out of it, I just need you to realise that you make us lot see that we'd made a mistake to, that we'd not done the job of looking out of you. We just got involved in the jobs and lost tack.' He told her and got a bit closer to her. 'This is nowhere near your fault so do not blame yourself you hear?'

'Yes.'

'Good.' He told her and kissed her gently, scared to hurt her, when he pulled back he looked as the nurse tidied up.

'Right Penelope, we'll get a bandage on this and then we'll reassess your ribs and see if we need to strap them up.' The nurse said delicately. 'Is it painful to breathe at all?

'A little.'

'Okay, well the doctor wants you to keep the deep breaths going to disperse the air.' She saw Penelope shudder. 'We'll get you some more pain meds too, and we'll get you settled upstairs soon.'

'I've got to stay in?' Penelope said almost terrified.

'Hey P, you can have one of us stay with you.' He looked at the nurse. 'She can right?'

'Of course, we'll make the exception.'

'Can you stay with me?' Penelope said and burst into tears. 'Please.'

'Course I can baby girl.' He said and put one hand on her leg and kept one in her hand. 'Anything you want.' He told her and hated how scared she was, how unlike Penelope it was. He then waited as the nurse did what was needed, before getting a doctor and they looked at Penelope's injuries. Derek couldn't believe how mottled her skin was from all the different multitudes of hues, reds, purples, yellows, blues, even blacks. They all marred her usual lily white skin.

As he watched over Penelope, stood as her rock, be the hero she needed his anger bubbled again, he wished he'd killed Andy for this, he wished he'd killed himself for letting this slide into this severity.

What felt like an eternity of pain for Penelope was only an hour before she was curled up in a bed, as small as could be on the bed and she let the warmth of drugs wash through her and cloud her mind and she allowed a peaceful sleep to descend.

Now she felt safe and protected and above all she felt wanted.


	6. Onwards And Upwards

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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Penelope had been poked and prodded, had one too many doctors come and assess her psychologically and now she'd had enough. She was haunted by what had occurred, she knew she was going to, she resigned herself to that factor back in the house when Andy had finally left her alone. She knew the happenings; she knew she needed to let it out to move on and she was well and truly going there but what she didn't like was being told what she'd done wrong. That factor only made her worse and that seemed to be the only that no one told her.

'So Penelope...' The doctor asked as they sat together in his office 4 days later for their first and single session in California, Derek was waiting outside and Penelope just wanted this to be over so she could go home, get closer to getting out of the hospital. Home. A place she now knew as Quantico. 'Want to tell me what was going on that made you change lifestyles so dramatically?'

'I was feeling...' She searched for the word and sucked in a deep breath. 'I was feeling pressured and alone and like no one around me took any notice anymore.'

'Who are you talking about specifically?'

'The people I work with, my boyfriend.'

'The people you work with? Explain to me how they didn't notice you.'

'We're more of a family unit, we don't look at each other as boss and colleagues, we look out for one another but we all hit a rough patch with the job and we all just drifted.'

'So what makes you worse than them?'

'I don't know, I guess I'm use to some extent of neglect, they go away on cases and I stay behind but this was different. The cases got harder, the effects worsened and nothing I said or did worked like it used to, it was like I was hitting a wall each and every time.'

'So you gave up?'

'I guess I did.'

'Have you ever looked at what insecurities you have for running?'

'My insecurities?'

'Well yes, qualities about you that might have contributed to this sudden change.' Penelope went silent, she looked down. 'There could be some conflict there.' He saw her hesitate. 'How about you just tell me what's on your mind? Tell me everything that led to you coming here.'

Penelope sucked in a deep breath. 'I guess that since my parents died I just wanted to fit in, I lost my whole family that day and when I got the job in Quantico I found a new family, one that clicked, one that felt right and I wanted nothing more than to hold onto it as tightly as possible.

We'd help one another through our problems, through bad cases, celebrate good cases and at the end of the day be happy and satisfied but after I got shot I wanted my old family back, I had no right to just leave without an explanation.

So I headed back to California where my brother Andy met up with me, he told me that the others didn't want to see me and that they'd only see me if I paid for leaving, almost paying for my sins.' She drew in a shaky breath. 'I hit a rough patch in my relationship with my boyfriend and I knew I didn't want to be in it anymore and so I devoted more and more time to the team.

More time to my best friend, who I recently realised again that I'm in love with, I'd never tell him that but when my boyfriend proposed and I turned it down I ran to him, to see if he was okay and to sort my head out. But when I got there he was with a girl and the way she spoke told me he hadn't told me and something shifted, like a separator between us and all I could do was run, I just couldn't watch him with another woman like that so I ran, selfishly ran.

I called my brother who met me and the abuse began, after 3 weeks he let me go back, told me I had to resign and it had to be effective immediately, he told me he'd know if it was done and if it wasn't then I'd face the consequence which would be that no one would find me ever again.

I did as he asked and we headed to California where he just kept going on and on about how it was like an initiation to the Garcia family and slowly I regretted it, I didn't want to be part of a family if this was the way it was going to happen.' Penelope said with tears streaming down her face. 'My brother Joel tried to get me out of it but when Andy found the picture of me and Derek, he got worse and told me the end was nearly there and I thought if I could just survive it then I'd have a family. It had to be only a couple more days and then I'd have a place so I did as Andy wanted and I let him do as he pleased but Joel stepped up the game and proved who my real family are.'

'And that includes the man outside?' Penelope nodded. 'Do you blame yourself at all?'

'Entirely, if it wasn't for me I wouldn't have put them all through this, I guess I was weak and would allow myself to be put in that situation with my brother.'

'I don't think you're weak Penelope, it showed courage and your vulnerability but it showed you'd do anything for family. You might be hurt but it's nothing that you can't move on from, its nothing that won't heal in time.' He saw Penelope smile and then looked at the time, he rounded off the session and led her out, Derek immediately jumped up from his seat and went to her.

'Everything okay?'

'Perfectly handsome.'

'Come on let's get you back to your room.'

'I want to go home Derek.' She told him hopeful. 'I don't want to be here, I can't get better here.'

'I'll talk to the doctor.'

'I mean I want to go home, home.' She told him again, and he smiled. 'With you.' His smile doubled again, and he looked at her and she smiled at him, he'd asked her, if not jumpily, that he wanted her to move in with him, he wanted to show her what family she had and that meant with him as well as the team. With him, she had a man that loved her, that would protect her, that would shield her from harm's way and a man that wanted a future with her. She'd been wary, she'd only just had them back 4 days and now he was proposing a future with him but after that session and being allowed to get it all off her chest she knew what she wanted and she knew not to wait for it to be landed in her lap, she needed to cease the moment herself or she'd continue to lose.

'Do you mean it?' He asked hopeful. 'Do you really want to start this with me?'

'I wouldn't just tell you if I didn't, I want to start anew, I want to get what I want, I don't want to wait.'

'Do you realise how happy you've just made me?' He said and looked at her as they waited for the elevator. 'You've probably made me the happiest and luckiest man alive.'

'Hardly.'

'Don't you dare go there baby girl, I've been left in panic mode having my last sight of you being hurt and then to find you so small and in need of help in that house, all I could do was do what I do best.' She smiled at him as they finally climbed into the elevator. 'I ran in there and helped get you out.'

'Like my hero.'

'Baby...'

'Don't' you dare disagree; I had been praying that you'd do the agent job and just save me and I didn't know Joel was in cahoots with you guys and then when everything was getting unbearable and I wanted the end to swallow me up and be done with it but you came through the door and I felt my end coming but not what I wanted originally.'

'That's good baby girl.' He told her. 'I'm glad I was your hero.'

'Always my hero.' She told him and leant on him. 'Do you know how embarrassing it is to walk around in your PJ's?'

'Embarrassing? I'd call it sexy.'

'Oh really, and Agent Morgan does that mean you feel confident enough to follow through on years of flirtatious turning on?'

Derek laughed. 'Well TA Garcia, it depends, are you able to handle me?'

'Well if I get too hot and you start to melt I'll stop.' He laughed and she smiled teasingly at him, and all he did was slowly and gently cradle her as he kissed her on the lips.


	7. Showing Up Her Family

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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The team agonised over how they were going to master getting Penelope home, all they knew was that she was going home and that she had one brother following soon after, the other two keeping a pretty low profile.

2 days after Penelope's first session, she was sleeping off a new round of pain meds as the two unheard of, unseen brothers arrived. Derek was doing his usual and acting protector with Hotch and Joel as Gargoyle's.

'Joel.' One asked warily and Joel jumped from his seat immediately.

'What the hell are you doing here?' He said and walked towards them. 'Now you want to face the music, now she's out safe?' He asked them, his emotions over the whole predicament growing and releasing how he'd wanted it to. 'Now she's laid up you want to know?'

'Joel, it was hard.' One of them stated as Hotch and Derek looked on tensely.

'It was hard? You know what was really fucking hard? Was watching our baby sister go through hell, what was hard was watching her suffer and accept it because she felt she needed to go through all of that to get a family, our family might I add.' He said, not realising that Penelope was watching on sleepily. Her mind not quite with it, her body sleeping on and off, letting her mind doze. 'You want to know what he did to her while you two were just too scared to help me help her?'

The two brother's just watched Joel, not wanting their attention to divert in any way.

'That bastard, the so called brother of ours, abused her so badly that she was in and out of the hospital with cuts and bruises, and burns and broken bones and now she's here with so many injuries that I hold not only Andy responsible for but you two as well.' They flinched at that claim, and they watched the tears pour down Joel's face, angry tears, belated tears, regretful tears. 'You had your chance to help me get her out but you didn't want to get involve so you left her and that makes you as bad as him. She's never done anything and don't you dare bring up mom and dad, she had every right to cope with their deaths as much as we did.

She came back to us, did Andy shed that little piece of information with you? She came back to us, looking for a family but he gave her an ultimatum and now this is where it's gotten us! A brother in prison and our sister in hospital. I hope for the sake of it you sleep better at night knowing that you had a hand in it.'

'Joel...' Penelope's voice rang out raspy. 'Come here.' She said and tried to sit up, Derek immediately helping, Hotch passing over the pillows. 'Now.'

He turned and walked to her. 'Sorry if I woke you.' He told her and took her hand in his.

'You didn't.' She lied but continued on. 'Don't get angry, I need you to not get angry.'

'I'll try not to but it's difficult.'

'I get that but come on, soon I'll be home, you've seen me get up and about.'

'I've seen your bad days.'

'That coincide with the good days, it's a bumpy road but it's going to happen one way or the other.' She smiled at him reassuringly. 'I mean come on, I've got this man here to protect me, I've got my own little army just don't get angry.' She said suggesting Derek outright as her main body guard in the room.

'It's the only thing I feel like doing right now.' Joel admitted, he felt at a proper loose end with her in the state she was. Like he could've tried harder to get her out, he could've got them to help him if he'd just tried harder.

'Derek will give you the best brand of punch bags for that type of anger management.' She quipped and kept it casual and calm. 'Come on help me up.'

'Pen, what are you up to?'

'Help me up.' He gave in then and helped her up, he then watched her walk towards her brother's slowly and painfully. 'So what's brought you here now?'

'It's all over the news.'

'So it took publicity to get you to come?'

'No!' They both said together.

'Well from the way I see it, you two don't really want to be here. So what is the reason?'

'To make amends.'

'To make amends? Well you're going to have to come to me because I am never coming back here again.' The two men looked down ashamed. 'You could've, like Joel said, helped me out, I called you to help me but you didn't want to know so why should I know now?'

'Just hear us out.'

Penelope sighed, she knew this was a bad idea; her head was still woozy, her legs felt weak as the pain ebbed in from the cuts and breaks her body still sported. 'I can't.'

'Why not?'

'Because I wanted my family, what I got was one brother from it.'

'We can make it better?'

'How?' Penelope said and Derek must have picked up on her uneasiness as he stepped up behind her and supported her. 'I'm not ever going to forget this, not in a lifetime, I'm going to have to live with this, what he did and I'm always going to know that you didn't even bother to stand up and protect me like you should've.'

'Baby girl, let's not get you stressed out.' Derek told her, he was worrying from her lacking composure. 'This is not what you need right now.' He told her and she collapsed into his arms as all the energy just left her body. 'Come on you back onto the bed.'

'No, they need to hear this.' She said as she grabbed him and held onto him. 'What I'm saying is that you've got to do more than just turn up when the damage is done, you need to earn my trust and this isn't going to cut it. I need to know that you're all in and I'm not going to make it easy for you.' She told them blankly. 'I don't want you to keep telling me how sorry you are, or how you could've done this, or that. It's done and we can only move on and that's what I'm doing.'

'I'm sorry, I'm calling shots now.' Derek interrupted her speech as slowly got more dependent on him; he just scooped her up and sat her on the bed.

Joel then resumed his point of call. 'I'll call you when she's ready, not before. We're gonna do this Pen's way, not yours.' He told and then walked out with them as they could only accept the one offer.

'I did do the right thing right?' Penelope asked looking up at Derek and Hotch. 'I mean, keeping them at a distance.'

'You need time to heal Penelope, the only way to do that is at your speed not everyone else's.'

'So is snail speed allowed?' She asked with a twisted grin on her lips, she was in the mood to joke about serious matters once again. Ease other people's tensions in order to release hers.


	8. The Dawn Of Realisation

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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'Stop watching me.' Penelope said as they sat on the plane, they'd all taken turns watching her sleep not knowing that she was on to them, she stretched stiffly and then looked at them. 'You're like vultures.' She teased. 'I'm sleeping soundly and you watch me like hawks.'

'What is this baby girl? See how many animals you can call us in a minute?'

'We can make it that? Like guard dogs so vigilant.'

'Okay just stop, all that thinking will tire you out.'

'Rossi, she doesn't need to think them, they're just there.' Derek told Rossi and they laughed. They'd been on the plane a good couple of hours now and were in the range of descent for Quantico, they had left Penelope to sleep. Knowing that between the markings on her back, the broken ribs, burns, cuts and whatever else she was in pain. They could only be, as Penelope put it, vigilant and look out for her how they all thought they'd failed.

Penelope settled and watched them all settle back down; she had her family around her all along. One biological member, the rest conventional and for intent and purposes family. Her true family.

In Joel, she had the brother that had always protected her growing up, the man that reminded her of their mom, that still strived for her happiness and safety, the man that yearned for her love, and made her be wanted. The man that had now left his bachelor life in California and had decided to move to Quantico, telling her, he'd let her slip away too easily, now he had her back he was not going to lose her again.

In Hotch, she had her boss man, and in a way a best friend. She had a confidante, an almost fatherly figure in him, even if he wasn't that much older than her. Hotch was the leading man in her life, his decisions and his action affected her and he was a prominent fixture for them all.

In Rossi, she had the man that was always there to pick them up, put them on the straight and narrow, make them see their wrong doings and make them see clearly. Rossi was the main man to straighten any issue out and she knew she had trust in him to be like that.

In JJ, she had a sister, a friend, a woman that offered her strength in every way possible. JJ was the one out of her and Emily that offered warmth from the word go, always knew how to use her words wisely and she was yet to fail her.

In Emily, she had a sister to an extent, a woman that was a woman to keep on side, a woman to fight your side when you were just too tired to it yourself. Emily was the big sister type, protective, over bearing and loveable. A trustworthy companion to behold.

In Reid, she had a kid brother, the one that needed reassurances upon reassurances and the one that needed to be loved to give love. Reid was the one that spouted facts to hel but got himself confused sometimes with it all. Reid was the one that could offer support with his facts about injuries and experiences.

Then there was Derek. In Derek she had everything. She had a best friend, strength, family and a home. He was the one that straightened her out entirely. The one man that had taken her heart and held it, he was the man she ran to for sanctuary and he was the man she loved so much that it hurt her to think about. He was her future.

So she settled back, minding her pains and woes and just watched them all interact together until she felt a foot tap hers and she was looking into Derek's big brown eyes and she was completely lost again.

'You okay Baby Girl?'

'Strong pain meds.' She feigned. 'I just want to stare and do nothing.' Penelope smiled at him and looked at him lazily. 'Guess I'm tired as well.'

'Well get some more sleep in before we hit Quantico ground.'

'Hmm Quantico, the homeland.'

'Definitely is Baby Girl. Our home with our family.' He told her and she just nodded and went back to watching the others on the plane. Derek just got up and moved from his seat opposite her to sitting next to her. He then just let her lay against him until she was comfortable and waited for her to go heavy.

When it happened it made him smiled. It showed to him every time she did it that she felt safe in his arms, that she knew that while she slept and let her walls down, left her disguises and shields behind that she was safe and feeling like she was well and truly protected that he was her hero like she claimed.

With her in his arms, Derek felt like the hero for once. He was Penelope's hero and he always would be. Penelope got her true family back and with it she made a man realise that he was a true hero.

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_** The End!**_

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_**A/N:**_ So the muse kinder decided to die and I wanted to wrap it up guys!! So here is what came from the muse!

Hope you liked!!! =)


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